Rick Astley has announced he’s releasing a new album later this year, and he’s heading out on an arena tour of the UK to celebrate.
It may have been 36 years since the iconic singer-songwriter from Newton-le-Willows first shot to fame with his massively-popular 1987 hit song ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ – but Rick Astley is arguably a more prominent force in popular culture now than he ever has been before.
Over the past couple of years, it seems the 57-year-old has been amassing new fans left, right, and centre, all thanks to on-stage performances with the likes of US rockers Foo Fighters, or beloved Manchester bands Take That or Blossoms, and claiming the strongest run of album chart positions of his entire career.
After having become an unlikely social media sensation since the turn of the 21st century, Rick says he’s been “simply embracing the unending love” from all his enthusiastic supporters.
And now, the popstar is ready to make his fans’ days after announcing a new album and UK tour.
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Rick Astley announces new album and massive Manchester gig on UK tour arena tour / Credit: Rick Astley (via Facebook)
Rick’s long-awaited ninth studio album, titled Are We There Yet?, is set to be released out into the world on 6 October 2023, and to give people a taste of what’s to come, the first single off that album, ‘Dippin My Feet’, is out today.
But the new album isn’t all that fans of the Lancashire legend have to look forward to, as Rick says “the road ahead remains open for further exploration”, and so has today revealed details of a major UK headline tour starting later this year and drawing to a close in early 2024.
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Rick Astley – UK Tour Dates 2023/24
2023
Wednesday 1 November – Royal Albert Hall (London)
Thursday 02 November – Royal Albert Hall (London)
2024
Thursday 22 February – Motorpoint Arena (Nottingham)
Friday 23 February – Utilita Arena (Newcastle)
Saturday 24 February – First Direct Arena (Leeds)
Monday 26 February – Cardiff International Arena
Tuesday 27 February – OVO Hydro (Glasgow)
Thursday 29 February – Bournemouth International Centre
Friday 1 March – Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Saturday 2 March – AO Arena (Manchester)
Two prestigious dates at London’s Royal Albert Hall will kick-off Rick’s UK tour this November, followed by a series of massive arena dates nationwide.
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The tour will culminate with a huge homecoming gig at the AO Arena here in Manchester on Saturday 2 March 2024.
Speaking ahead of the release of his new album, Rick said: “The phrase ‘Are We There Yet?’ has multiple meanings. Are we there yet in my musical ambitions? Am I done with my career? Have we arrived? Or are we still travelling?”
He admits the new album and accompanying singles are Americana-influenced.
“It’s definitely not country, but I’ve never twanged a guitar as much as I have in the past couple of months,” Rick continued.
“And there’s a bit more emotion with those guitar parts. I just think spending five months in America has retuned my ear a little bit.”
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The legendary singer-songwriter is heading out on a massive UK arena tour / Credit: Supplied
Rick Astley’s ninth studio album ‘Are We There Yet?’ is now available to pre-order here.
Fans who pre-order before 7pm today (20 June), will receive access to a pre-sale for tour tickets – which opens at 9:30am tomorrow (21 June) and will remain live until remaining tickets go on general sale from 9:30am this Friday (23 June).
James Arthur to play massive Manchester show on UK arena tour next year
Emily Sergeant
James Arthur is the latest act to announce a massive UK arena tour, and he’ll be paying a visit to Manchester next year.
On the day that Manchester’s newest live entertainment arena,Co-op Live, is set to welcome one of the world’s current biggest pop star, Sabrina Carpenter, another major pop act is set to take to that very same stage around this time next year, as James Arthur has today announced a huge arena tour.
The former X Factor winner is heading out on an 11-date tour of the UK in early 2026, and that includes a visit to our city in mid February.
After performing in some of the UK’s biggest cities in the days prior – including London’s O2, the bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, and shows in other northern cities such as Sheffield and Liverpool – the will 37-year-old singer-songwriter will stop off Manchester to close out his impressive tour.
He’ll be performing at Co-op Live on Saturday 21 February 2026.
The announcement of next year’s UK tour next year’s coincides with the upcoming release of Arthur’s highly-anticipated next studio album, PISCES.
In recent years, Arthur has cemented himself as one of the biggest names in contemporary pop and soul, amassing 11 Platinum hit singles, more 38 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and two UK number one albums along the way – including his most recent release, Bitter Sweet Love, which was celebrated with a sold-out UK and Europe arena tour, culminating in a historic performance in his hometown of Middlesbrough to an audience of 25,000 fans.
James Arthur UK arena tour dates 2025
3 February – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
4 February – Glasgow OVO Hydro
6 February – Newcastle Utilita Arena
7 February – Aberdeen P&J Live
10 February – Birmingham bp pulse LIVE
11 February – Bournemouth International Centre
13 February – Sheffield Utilita Arena
14 February – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
16 February – Cardiff Utilita Arena
18 February – London The O2
21 February – Manchester Co-op Live
James Arthur is playing a massive Manchester show on his UK arena tour next year / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
With the upcoming release of PISCES on 25 April, Arthur is said to be ‘diving deeper into his personal struggles’ to create a collection of songs that is ‘as introspective as it is sonically adventurous’.
Tickets to James Arthur’s 2026 UK arena tour, including the Manchester Co-op Live gig on Saturday 21 February, go on pre-sale next Wednesday 19 March at 9am, and then on general sale on Friday 21 February at 9am.
Find out more and get tickets when they go on sale here.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Popular Manchester comedy festival returns with impressive lineup of local talent and ‘cult sensations’
Emily Sergeant
A popular comedy festival is returning to our city with yet another impressive lineup of local talent and ‘cult sensations’.
That’s right… some of the UK’s best comedy names are coming to Manchester.
Following the success of events held the last two years, renowned production company, A Lovely Time, has once again put together an absolutely jam-packed lineup of television names, internet sensations, hotly-tipped newcomers, and even critically-acclaimed comedians for a weekend full of comedy shows in the heart of the city centre.
Taking place at Fairfield Social Club – which is tucked away down at the Green Quarter – the weekend-long festival, aptly called A Lovely Weekend, will kick off on Friday 6 June.
You can expect three full days of laughter at the hands of an expertly-curated lineup, who’ll mostly be staging ‘work in progress’ shows and sets.
Popular comedy festival A Lovely Weekend is returning to Manchester this summer / Credit: Kristyna Baczyna | Caro Ferretti
This year’s festival is bringing 19 new shows to the mix, including the likes of Edinburgh Comedy Award winners John Kearns and Jordan Brookes, and local talent done-good Rachel Fairburn and Josh Jones, as well rising stars Sharon Wanjohi, Ayoade Bamgboye, and Molly McGuinness.
Plus, you can also catch cult sensations like Mark Silcox and the formidable Frankie Monroe, making for a truly unmissable weekend of comedy.
“It’s such an honour to bring this amazing lineup of comedians to Manchester, which is quickly becoming the most exciting city for comedy in the UK,” commented festival organiser John Stansfield ahead of this summer’s event.
Co-organiser Chris Cantrill, who is also a comedian himself, added: “As a comedy fan I have to say I cannot wait for this year’s festival. It feels positively decadent.”
A Lovely Weekend 2025 will take over Fairfield Social Club from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 June, and tickets are on sale now – with tickets to individual shows, and specific day and weekend-long passes all available to get your hands on.
Emily Sergeant -
20th June 2023 
